The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-04-28
FROM WASHINGTON.
Letter From the President In Relation
to a Land Controversy.
More Pensions Granted to Residents
of Maine.
Other Matters of Interest at the Ma
tionaI Capital.

has sent to the Secretary of the Interior a
letter in relation to the controversy between
Guilford Miller, settler, and the railroad
corporation involving the question Of the
ownership of certain lands. He says: 81
have examined with much care and interest
the questions involved in the conflicting
claims Of Guilford G. Miller and the North
ern Pacific Railroad Company to certain
public lands in Washington Territory. Mil
Ter claims to be settler upon the land in
question, whose possession dates from 1878.
he alleges he has made substantial improve
ments upon the land and cultivated the same
and it appears he filed his claim to the same
under the homestead law on the 29th of De-
cember, 1854. The railroad company contend
this land is within the territory or the area
from which 1t was entitled to select such a
quantity OF public land as might be necessa-
ry to supply any deficiency found to exist in
the specified land mentioned in the grant by
the government to said company in aid of the
construction, Of the road, such deficiency be-
ing contempluted as IS likely to arise from
the paramount right of private parties and
settlers within the territory embracing said
granted lands, and that the land in dispute
was thus selected by the company on the
10Th of December, 1888.
The large tract, including this land, was
ment from the sale, and from prc-emptiOn
and homestead entry, in 1872, in anticipation
OF the construction of said railroad and the
dehciency in its granted lands. In 1880, up
on the filing of map of the definite location
OF the road, the land in controversy and
much more which has been so withdrawn,
was f0uud to lie outside of the limits which
included the granted land. but its withdraw
al and reservation for settlement and entry
under our land laws was continued upon the
MO orfffl -. NhnI If.x.sk Al.
indemnity lands which might be selected by
the company as provided in the law making
the grant. The legal points in this contro.
yersy turned upon the validity and effect of
the wltndrawal and reservation OF this land
and the continuance thereof.
The Attorney General is of the opinion
that such withdrawal and reservation We're
at all times etfectual, and that they operated
TO prevent Miller from acquiring any interest
In or the right to the land claimed by him
with this Interpretation of the law and
former orders and action Of the Interior De-
partment. 1t will be seen the effect has
been the withdrawal and reservation since
1873 OF thousands, If not millions of acres of
these lands from the operation of the land
laws of the United States, thus placing
them beyond the reach Of our citizens, de-
string under such laws to settle and make
homes upon the same, and this has been done
for the benefit of the railroad company hav-
lngno fixed certain or definite interests in such
ed showing how much if any, of this vast
tract Is necessary for the fulfllment of the
grant to the railroad company, nor does there
appear to be any limitation Of the time within
which this fact should be made known and
the corporation obliged to make its selection.
This large body of the public domain is still
held in reserve to the exclusion of settlers
Tor the convenience Of corporation BENEFICIARY
OF the government and awaiting its Sc
lection though 1t is entirely certain that
nrxraa 1.a al
claimed by said corporation. Such condi-
tlSn Of the public lands should no longer con-
tlnue. You have thus far taken no action in
this matter and it seems to me you are in
condition to deal with the subject in such
manner as to protect this settler from
hardship and loss. / transmit herewith
papers and documents relating to the case
which were submitted to me at my request
1 Suggest that you exercise the power and
authority you have in the premises upon
equitable considerations, with every pre-
sumption and intendment in favor of the
settler, and in case you find this corporation
IS entitled to. select any more Of these lands
than II has ale1a.zt eoaaiFad that .ss.a; di,eat
Miller has settled, other land within the linz
its of this indemnity reservation upon which
neither he nor any other citizen has, in good
faith settled or made improvements. / call
attention to sections 2450 and 2451 of the re-
vised statutes as pointing out the mode Of
procedure which may, perhaps, be resorted
to if necessary. for the purpose Of reaching
a just and equitable disposition of the case.
In Honor of Grant.
An audience of moderate size assembled at
the Metropolitan Methodist Episcopal church
tonight to celebrate the 65th anniversary Of
the birth of Gen. Grant, Ulysses s. Grant,
j., and Jesse r. Grant we're present. A
number of the Grand Army Of the Republics
also attended. Mathew G. Emery presided.
After music and prayer by Rev. DIR. j. p.
Newman, an address by Senior Romero, the
Mexican minister on Seen. Grant and Our
Foreign Relation" was read by Gen. Cotton,
Senior Romero being keptawa by sickness.
An address on "Grant-President," was de-
livered by ex-Postmaster General Crosswell
and on "Grant and Logan" by Gen. S. S.
Burdette, ex-Commander of the Grand Army
of the Republic. A poem was read by Mrs.
Emily Thornton Charles.
Pensions Granted.
WASHINGTON, April 81.
Pensions have been granted to residents Of
Maine as follows:
Louisa, widow Of Thomas Tripe, Hartland.
John Sharp, original, Moro
Ethel III. Jones. original, Augusta.
Michael Murphy, original, Whitneyvlle.
Edward Green, original, Togus.
Luther Trip, original, Lewiston.
James Clancy, original, TOgus.
William Mall0y increase, IOgus.
Solomon @, BOulier, increase, Fort Fairfield.